SalesNexus has linked up with B2B database LeadFerret to bolster the stream of business leads clients are able to access.

"Ever since we introduced our email marketing capability, it's been real evident that what our customers really need is leads," says Craig Klein, CEO of SalesNexus, an online CRM solutions company. "The LeadFerret concept…it's really a game-changer. Free is good, but what's really good, in talking the way the partnership has evolved, is that you can download a lead at a time. It's very robust. You can search by SIC codes, number of employees, [and]revenue and find really good prospects."

Through the terms of the agreement, SalesNexus users now have access to 250 leads per month through the LeadFerret B2B data platform. The partnership eyes an enhanced delivery of CRM, email marketing, and data services with a more targeted solution. Quality enhancement has been key, Klein says, calling sales leads that lead to nowhere or that bounce a "disservice" to clients. Users can now download lead records and integrate them directly into the SalesNexus CRM and email marketing programs.

"Most companies struggle with the initial connection—just knowing who to connect with and qualifying leads," Klein says. "Say you have a sales team with a list of 1,000 leads. You can spend a week calling them and might not even close the business because it might be the wrong type of person, for instance. We're teaching our customers to use email marketing and analytics to hybrid lists and have your salespeople start calling those that click on the lists."

SalesNexus was established a decade ago, and developed its first Web application two or three years later. The company's focal point became medium-sized sales teams of about 25 to 50 employees. Approximately a year ago, SalesNexus introduced email marketing capabilities after a transition to cloud-based services, and today services organizations with a 50 to 100 salesperson range, Klein says.

"I'm really looking forward to the second/third quarter of this year, when the foundation is out there, and hearing from our customers," Klein says. "We've been talking about making changes in our system and (LeadFerret's) system to make it super user-friendly…that's the problem in every CRM system—it's tough to get salespeople using the system. It's [the new partnership] saying to the salesguy, "All the leads are in there.'"